Systems and Methods for Creating and Sharing a 3-Dimensional Augmented Reality Space

Abstract

A 3-dimensional augmented reality (AR) world is a version of our “real” physical world augmented with virtual 3D objects that may be experienced by a user, such as someone who “sees” the virtual 3D objects through a smartphone or special eyewear. A shared 3D AR world is one in which multiple individuals can simultaneously experience the same augmented reality, even if they are not using the same devices. The shared 3D AR world is created by obtaining and synthesizing sensory and other inputs from various devices in use by different users, and providing augmented outputs adapted to different devices. The synthesis of a wide range of inputs allows the augmented reality effects to be realistic. The augmented reality effects may be pre-rendered by a cloud-based server to reduce the computational burden on user devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for creating a shared 3-dimensional augmented reality space comprising the following ordered steps:
 producing on a first computing device a plurality of renderings of an object in a 3-dimensional augmented reality space;
 wherein each of the plurality of renderings represents a view of the object from one of a plurality of vantage points; 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of renderings incorporates one or more environmental effects that reflects the current environmental conditions in the real world as viewed from the vantage point of the at least one of the plurality of renderings; 
   transmitting from a second computing device to the first computing device positional data regarding the position and orientation of the second computing device;   processing the positional data on the first computing device to select a rendering from among the plurality of renderings;
 wherein the selected rendering represents a view of the object that most closely matches the position and orientation of the second computing device; 
   transmitting the selected rendering to the second computing device; and   processing the selected rendering on the second computing device and presenting a 3-dimensional augmented reality space with the object to a user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more environmental effects is a lighting and shadow effect. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the lighting and shadow effect incorporates appropriate sunlight and shadow based on the time of day. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more environmental effects is a weather effect. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more environmental effects is an atmospheric effect. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the atmospheric effect is atmospheric haze and tint. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is a central computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is a cloud-based server. 
     
     
         9 . A method for creating a shared 3-dimensional augmented reality space comprising the following steps:
 producing on a first computing device a plurality of renderings of an object in a 3-dimensional augmented reality space;
 wherein each of the plurality of renderings represents a view of the object from one of a plurality of vantage points; 
   transmitting from a second computing device to the first computing device positional data regarding the position and orientation of the second computing device;   processing the positional data on the first computing device to select a rendering from among the plurality of renderings;
 wherein the selected rendering represents a view of the object that most closely matches the position and orientation of the second computing device; 
   transmitting the selected rendering to the second computing device; and   processing the selected rendering on the second computing device and presenting a 3-dimensional augmented reality space with the object to a user.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of renderings incorporates one or more lighting and shadow effects that reflects the current environmental conditions in the real world as viewed from the vantage point of the rendering. 
     
     
         11 . A method for displaying virtual content to a user, the method comprising:
 producing on a first computing device a plurality of renderings of an object;
 wherein the plurality of renderings represent views of the object from a plurality of vantage points; 
   transmitting from a second computing device to the first computing device positional data regarding the second computing device;   processing the positional data on the first computing device to select a rendering from among the plurality of renderings that represents a view of the object that most closely matches the positional data;   transmitting the selected rendering to the second computing device; and   presenting the second rendering to a user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the positional data includes the GPS location of the second computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the positional data includes the compass bearing of the second computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the positional data further includes the GPS location of the second computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein first computing device is a central computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first computing device is a cloud-based server. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product residing on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 produce a plurality of renderings of an object;
 wherein the plurality of renderings represent views of the object from a plurality of vantage points; 
   receive positional data regarding a computing device; and   process the positional data to select a rendering from among the plurality of renderings that represents a view of the object that most closely matches the positional data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the positional data includes the GPS location of the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the positional data includes the compass bearing of the computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the positional data further includes the GPS location of the computing device.